Madness Unleashed (Dragons of Zalara Book 1)

by ML Guida

  She eyed it suspiciously.

  “I promise I won’t hurt you.”

  She smirked. “Not going to zap me again?”

  “I don’t go around zapping women, if that’s what you mean. That was the first time that happened to me, too.”

  “Maybe.” She glanced down. “Oh, my God. My shirt’s torn.” She grabbed the ends of her torn shirt and pulled them together tight.

  “I know.”

  She gave him an accusatory look that prickled his honor.

  He stiffened. “I didn’t molest you, if that’s what you’re wondering. When I brought you on board, the zipper on my jacket got caught on your blouse, and it tore.”

  She glared. “You couldn’t at least cover me with a blanket?”

  Heat flushed over his face, and he lowered his arm. “I…guess… I…”

  “Was overcome with lust?”

  “No!” He stormed over to his closet and ripped out a shirt.

  She gasped. “How did you do that?”

  He scowled. “Do what?”

  “Open the wall.”

  “When I approached the closet, it sensed me and opened. Here.” He gave her the black shirt, which would be three times too big for her.

  “Thank you,” she whispered as she hugged it to her breasts. “This is like falling into some sci-fi movie.”

  She slipped the shirt on, which smothered her small frame.

  He walked over to the door. “Shall we?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  Once again, the door buzzed. Several men walked by and stared curiously, but none of them said a word.

  She sneered. “More kidnappers?”

  “No, they’re just part of the crew.”

  “More like pirates.”

  She took a step and stumbled. He caught her. Another sizzle shocked him, but not as strongly. He glanced at her and could tell she felt it too, but neither said anything.

  “Are you all right?” He nodded at his bed. “Maybe you still need rest.”

  She tilted her chin. “No, I’m fine. I was just a little woozy.”

  “I promise I won’t let you fall.”

  She smiled and allowed him to escort her into the softly lit corridor. He looped his arm through hers. She hesitantly put her hand on his forearm and permitted him to maneuver down the hall. Their soft footsteps echoed on the metallic floor.

  “This is so strange.” She looked around. “There’s no windows or doors, just smooth aluminum walls.”

  “The walls are made out of titanium. Actually, the entire ship is. Windows and doors are here, but they don’t open unless we wish it.”

  “So, if I wish a door or window to open, it will?”

  “To be honest, I don’t know. The ship has never been programmed for humans.”

  She shook her head. “Something out of a space movie.”

  “Well, it’s a space ship. There are fifty men on board.”

  “You don’t believe in women’s lib.”

  “All of our women are dead.” His voice came out sharper than he intended.

  He stared straight ahead, not wanting to remember that day. The day all of the women–young and old–disintegrated into a pile of dust.

  “Dead? You mean just on this ship?”

  He shook his head. “Not just here, but on Zalara. Killed by a dioxide torpedo.” He couldn’t hide the sorrow in his heart. “Our shields went up too late. We thought we had the power to save Earth and Zalara.”

  She stopped. “You were protecting Earth?”

  “It’s our sworn duty to the United Planet Confederation to protect the innocent, especially Earth.”

  “But I thought you had a queen?”

  “We do. Queen Cosima was on a mission with our king when we were attacked. If she’d been there, she would have perished.” His heart grappled with fear–fear of his beautiful queen turning into ashes.

  “Who would do such a thing?”

  “The Kamtrinians. Our deadly enemy.” He paused. “And yours. They detest humanoids and want to wipe out all of us. If it weren’t for the Confederation, we’d all be dead. But my people are in danger of being extinct unless we reproduce. Earth women are the only ones that closely resemble Zalarian women. If this doesn’t happen, our race will die, and the Kamtrinians will invade Earth.”

  “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “Unfortunately, I am.”

  She trembled beneath his touch. “It’s not every day I hear that every female on Earth almost turned into burnt ash. Can I sit down for a minute?”

  “Of course. The break room isn’t far.”

  “So, if I don’t mate with you and have a baby, then Earth could be destroyed?”

  “Yes.”

  She looked remarkably calm–her breath and skin color were both normal, and her eyes bright. He’d thought she’d go into hysterics or a fit of rage.

  She cast him a sly look. “You’re not pulling my leg, are you?”

  Such a curious question. “Why would I pull your leg?”

  “Never mind. It’s an Earth expression.”

  “Oh. I’m not happy with The Fates’ decision either, but neither of us have a choice.”

  She sucked in her breath. “I don’t believe that. There are always choices.” She gave him a hard stare. “So, you’re in love with someone else?”

  He wasn’t ready to go down this path. “In the break room, there’s a picture window where you can view Zalara. We’re almost home.”

  “Okay.”

  She swayed, and her legs collapsed. He caught her and lifted her off her feet. She laid her head on his chest. Fluttering swelled in his gut, but then pressure built up against his ribs, as if something was trying to escape. Just as suddenly as it began, it disappeared. Beneath the smell of beer and fried foods, he detected a sweet feminine scent that stirred a desire deep within him. He needed to touch her, as if his life depended on it. Something he’d never experienced, even around his beautiful Cosima.

  She put her hand on her forehead. “Sorry. I guess all of this has been overwhelming.”

  He smiled. “It’s quite all right.”

  “I can walk now.”

  He gently put her on her feet but stayed close in case she collapsed again. He rested his hand on her lower back, then maneuvered her toward the break room. When the door opened, she gasped.

  He nearly walked into her. Crewmen gathered around tables, enjoying their evening meal and drinking their favorite spirits. Damon inhaled the smell of roasted meats and vegetables, teasing his appetite. The clinking of silverware and loud voices slowly died.

  Men gawked at Hera. She’d been the first woman they’d seen in a long, long, long time. Damon wished he would have given her something more suitable to wear than his shirt. She looked like she’d been warming his bed.

  She didn’t seem to notice. Some of them looked at her with open appreciation. Damon curled his upper lip, and most of them turned back to their conversations.

  Except for Anonghos.

  “Welcome, beautiful.” He lifted a pint of golden mear and nodded at Hera, giving her one of his dashing smiles.

  She blushed ten shades of red.

  “Hello,” she whispered in a husky voice that sent Damon’s desire furiously pumping.

  “Hera, this is Anonghos. Our chief security officer and my best friend. He’s also a Bravian dragon.”

  Anonghos got out of the chair and slightly bowed. “I hope Damon is treating you well. He tends to have a sour disposition, even around beautiful women such as yourself.”

  She looked briefly up at Damon, then turned her back on him, giving him the cold shoulder. “He’s been full of surprises all right.”

  Damon stood straighter and scowled.

  “If I can be any of assistance–” Anonghos picked up Hera’s delicate hand and kissed it. “Just let me know.”

  Hera stared at him with the same love-sick look every woman displayed after they met his charm. “Thank you,” she mu
rmured.

  Damon growled softly, his nostrils flaring. He clenched his hands and pressed his arms to his side, afraid he’d plow his fist into Angonghos’s handsome face.

  Anonghos lifted his eyebrow, then arched his back and laughed heartily. He shook his head and returned to his seat.

  Damon broke out in a steamy dragon sweat, and he avoided the curious glances. Only a few days ago, he’d been grumbling that he’d never care about a human, no matter how beautiful. But after touching Hera briefly, his words came back to haunt him.

  Ignoring the men and Anonghos’s soft laughter, he escorted Hera to a chair nearest the window. Neither spoke as they approached Zalara with its many colors of blue, green, white, and red.

  “Zalara is beautiful. Great balls of fire, you have two suns!”

  “We also have three moons.”

  “Zalara looks almost like Earth, but your land masses are different shapes than ours.”

  “You have more oceans than we do, but we have larger rain forests. Would you like something to eat or drink?”

  “How about a shot of whiskey?”

  “Do you think that wise? You’ve almost fainted a couple of times.”

  She rolled her eyes. “As if you have any whiskey on board this ship.”

  “If you’ll excuse me.”

  He went over to the food adaptor. Within a minute, he had not only a shot of whiskey for his little mate, but also what the humans called a hamburger. She needed protein.

  When he sat the food and drink in front of her, she shoved her chair back. “What is that?”

  “The whiskey you wanted. You looked pale and need some protein. Do you not like hamburgers?”

  “Don’t tell me you have cows on the Orion?”

  He chuckled. “No, we don’t.”

  She inspected the whiskey and hamburger as if she was afraid the food would attack her.

  “The food adaptor read my thoughts, then it reproduced them. I know it’s difficult for you to understand, but it is able to take atoms and molecules floating in the air and form the food. I swear it’s genuine–try it.”

  She moistened her lips as she picked up the shot glass. She sniffed, then a slow smile spread across her face. “Here goes nothing.” She tossed it back in one gulp. Her eyes slightly watered, then she slammed the glass down. “You weren’t kidding. That was the smoothest whiskey I’ve ever had.”

  He smiled. This wasn’t a frail female.

  She picked up the hamburger and hesitantly took a small bite, then another.

  “You like it?” he asked.

  “Absolutely.”

  “I’m glad. Just let me know of anything you desire, and I can fetch it for you.”

  “Is this something mates do for each other on Zalara?”

  “I don’t know about the others, but I do.”

  She stopped eating and studied him. He squirmed under her shy stare.

  Something moved out of the corner of his eye. A one-man Bravian spaceship flew toward the eastern sun at hypo speed.

  “What’s that?” Hera asked.

  “It’s a Bravian ship.”

  “Why is it heading toward the sun?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. Blosto is ten times hotter than Closto. Whoever’s flying that ship will burn up in seconds.”

  Conversations died, and men crowded around them. Blosto’s angry flames flashed and exploded fiercely, as if to warn the one-man ship to stay away, but the ship defiantly held its course. It’s silver hull slowly turned red from the fiery heat.

  “Red alert. Red alert. Battle stations.”

  Taog’s strong voice echoed through the ship.

  Men raced out of the break room, heading to their assignments. Damon grabbed Hera’s hand and lifted her into his arms. She trembled and wrapped her arms around his neck. He could feel her rapid heartbeat. Every fiery impulse inside him magnified into a fierce protectiveness. He raced to the bridge, determined to save her.

  On board the Orion, he was part of the security unit, but he wasn’t going to his station. Not until he knew Hera’s life wasn’t in danger.

  3

  Hera clung tight to Damon’s neck. Everything whizzed past her as if she were on a runaway roller coaster. She could barely breathe, and her beating heart lodged in her throat. She’d never known a man could run this fast, but then again, he wasn’t a man. He was a Zalarian–an alien.

  And her mate.

  Like she didn’t have a choice.

  Fiddlesticks! He was in for a big disappointment–especially, since he’d admitted to kidnapping her and refusing to return her to Earth. Being ordered around by a He-man was definitely not in her stars.

  Damon’s heart was pounding as fast as hers. At least she thought it was his heart. She had no idea if Zalarians possessed the same anatomy as humans.

  But what really rattled her brain was the heat swelling inside her whenever he touched her. It was as if he were setting a smoldering fire inside her–a passion that wouldn’t be denied. She’d never experienced anything like this before. Or at least, as of three months ago, she hadn’t.

  She should be screaming and pounding her fists on his hard chest, but she’d learned with the street gangs that aggressive behavior was useless–especially when the opponent was twice her size. Losing her temper always landed her on the short end of the stick. She’d have to win Damon’s trust, then hope he’d return her to Earth.

  Or if that didn’t work, she’d be forced to betray him.

  Besides, he’d practically admitted he didn’t want to be mated to her. She didn’t understand why a bit of disappointment pinged her rattled heart.

  Suddenly, elevator doors opened, as if by magic, and they rushed inside. Surprisingly, there were no buttons except for a blinking, red rectangle light.

  “Bridge,” Damon ordered.

  The elevator whooshed so fast it took her breath away.

  Maybe the ship could sense the Zalarains’ very thoughts. If she could figure out how, maybe she could use the technology to return herself to Earth.

  Damon’s face was set in a hard scowl, but he was still handsome. He wasn’t all bad. He’d saved her twice from Desmond and his crowd. If it weren’t for him, she’d have been brutally raped.

  But that didn’t mean she had any intention of being his love slave.

  In less than a minute, the doors slid open to a busy bridge where men scrambled around big and small, blinking computer consoles. A surge of energy flushed over Hera, and her skin tightened. When Damon took a step to go inside, the doors shut, barely missing them.

  He jumped back just in time, cradling her close. “Blazes, that has never happened before.” He looked down at her. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “Yes.” Uneasiness settled in her gut, and a pulsing headache formed. Images formed of rugged mountains. She recognized them but couldn’t recall them.

  When the door whizzed open again, her mind slammed shut, as if a light switch was turned off. She groaned, but when Damon stepped onto the bridge, she forgot about the familiar mountains. The glittering points of stars and the orbiting Zalara shrank her breath.

  Anonghos grumbled under his breath. “What is she doing here, Damon? You should be protecting your mate.”

  Damon lowered her to the ground. “I am. I need to know what we’re facing.”

  A man whirled around in a chair. “An unknown foe.” His muscular frame was much too large for the chair, and he stared at them with piercing blue eyes. He would have been handsome if he didn’t possess such a fierce scowl.

  “Damon, I thought I told you to notify me when your mate awakened.”

  Hera didn’t like his sharp tone. He was a bully. used to getting his way. She edged closer to Damon.

  Damon wrapped his arm around her waist. “She had many questions, and I needed to tend to her needs. Hera, let me introduce you to Captain Taog.”

  Taog flipped his hand. “Enough of the formalities. Get her off the bridge, Damon. This is no
place for a human.”

  “I–”

  “Captain,” a man said. He wore headphones and sat at a console. “We have ship-to-ship contact. It’s Ualan.”

  “Put him on speaker, Iagan.”

  “Aye, sir.”

  Taog pushed a button on the arm of his chair. “Ualan, are you there? I order you to turn away. That’s a direct order.”

  But there was no answer. The ship continued its present course, shaking violently.

  Hera whispered, “Damon, who is Ualan?”

  A vein in his cheek twitched. “He’s a Bravian dragon, and his assignment is to guard the Queen. He’d never leave his post unwillingly. Something’s wrong.”

  “Answer me!” The captain slammed his fist down on the arm of the chair.

  Hera clutched Damon’s hand. He squeezed hers, as if trying to send reassurance.

  “Ualan, you’re too close to Blosto. If you don’t turn away now, you never will.”

  But there was no answer.

  Hera shielded her eyes. The glare of the sun illuminated the bridge like an exploding star.

  “Activate tractor beam, Daidh,” the captain said.

  A red-head man answered, “Aye, Captain.” He pressed a yellow button on a computer console. “Tractor beam activated, Captain.”

  “Engage,” the captain said.

  Daidh pushed a red button. “Locked on, Captain.

  A green beam shot out of the Orion, soaring toward the small space ship.

  “The beam is going to tangle with Blosto’s gravity pull,” Daidhl said.

  Taog nodded. “Prepare for impact.”

  Hera braced herself, but then the Orion lurched forward, knocking her onto her knees. It jerked again. Hera slid across the floor and landed right at the foot of the captain’s chair. Fear strangled her voice. He had a death scowl on his face that would have curdled buttermilk.

  Damon was immediately upon her and lifting her onto her feet.

  “Captain!” Daidh moved his fingers quickly over the console, pushing different buttons. “It’s too late. Blosto’s gravity pull has him. I can’t pull him back. We’re too far away.”

  Hera’s headache thumped into a culminating crescendo, and another memory burst forth. Images of unknown faces, jagged mountains, adobe houses, country roads swirled fast in her mind that she couldn’t see clearly. She didn’t know why, but she lifted her palms and faced them toward the shaking ship. An energy surged inside her, sending tingles through her body, electrifying her fingers. Any minute, she thought lightning would burst through.